After meeting Man Man’s keyboardist’s dad (he moved to Austin to see more of their shows...how sweet!) at a somewhat sleepy Dirty Projectors set on the orange stage, we were eventually lured to the darkest side of Waterloo Park—the black stage for GWAR’s performance. The blinding, radiating lights and eerie movements from the freakishly-costumed rockers were just too tempting. more ›

Every now and again, the mainstream decides to embrace a band that most would consider to be weird or left of center. In the Spring of 2008, “Time to Pretend” solidified MGMT in the pop lexicon. It's intro synth line was instantly recognizable, and it was just poppy enough to gain the duo of Andrew Van Wyngarden and Ben Goldwasser the approval of everyone from indie scensters to sorority sisters. more ›

• Natural-gas facility explosion in Johnson County. One person is still missing hours after the blast...
• Might 2010 be a record year for meth seizures at the Texas-Mexico border?
• These are rough times for the mentally ill of Travis County.

Oh, how we remember those days so long ago when MGMT was but an early afternoon show in Waterloo Park, performing songs no one had heard for a crowd of maybe a hundred or so. How we miss those days! Now, even imagining such a scenario is positively ludicrous, what with all the television performances and magazine covers and screaming teens and more hype than even they could probably handle. more ›

We’re still ringing the sweat from our shirts, but a Girl Talk show is a sure fire way to spice up a weeknight. more ›

After having already enjoyed CSS’ set at the AT&T Blue Room, we waded through a sea of people to return to our spot for the electro-psychedelia of Brooklyn’s MGMT. The excited audience patiently clapped along during the first track “Pieces Of What” and came alive when “Electric Feel,” complete with the stellar falsetto chorus, sent bolts of funk through north west Zilker. more ›

MGMT, for those who've somehow missed the boat, has experienced quite the rocket to notoriety. On the shoulders of a very solid debut album, Oracular Spectacular, the creative duo of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser has gone from the dormitories of Wesleyan University to opening up for the likes of Beck and Of Montreal, appearing on Conan O'Brien and David Letterman, and winning a legion of partisan fans for their unique brand of updated 70s psych-rock. In light of MGMT's upcoming ACL performance Saturday (AT&T Blue Room Stage at 5:30), we got lead singer and taco-connoisseur Andrew VanWyngarden on the horn for a few questions. more ›

Eugene Mirman is much funnier than you. A mainstay of New York's alternative comedy scene, Mirman's profile has been even higher of late. In February, his Comedy Central Presents special debuted, and earlier this year, he was asked to cover the New Hampshire primaries for 236.com. He can also be seen as Jemaine and Bret's strange landlord in HBO's Flight Of The Conchords. A multi-year veteran of SXSW, Mirman is hosting this year's Web Awards at SXSW Interactive and is also performing at multiple SX venues during the music festival. more ›

Because we love you so very much, we've gone ahead and put together a special mini-site dedicated to this year's SXSW Festival. more ›

Your dream of being invited to a private, invite-only Playboy party might just be realized tonight: head over to Austinist's brand new SXSW site to enter the Rock the Rabbit contest. The winner will receive a pair of tickets to the Annual Late Night Party in Austin on Thursday, March 13 (11 p.m. at the 301) as well as a t-shirt from The Heavy. more ›

If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump. more ›

Sometimes there is a rare opportunity to see a band just before they hit it big, at that moment when you can still get into their shows without having the sanctity of your personal space thrown into question, just that itty bitty second before you're paying "real money" to see them from afar, rather than a pittance to see them up close. Tonight at Emo's presents one of those rare opportunities, and in spectacular fashion. See, playing tonight is not only one about-to-get-rich band of ruffians, but two. And if you haven't yet heard of MGMT and Yeasayer, consider this your formal introduction: they won't be this unknown for long. more ›

It’s possible you’ve been tricked into thinking Free Week at Emo’s cares not for days as fickle as Sunday, but, just in case, let’s clear things up: YES, Free Week rolls all the way through, with not a break to be seen. And not only that, but Sunday offers up some of the most compelling bands of the whole shebang, including noted acts Ume, Until We’re Blue or Destroy and that nature battle you’ve been dying to see: Bee vs. Moth. more ›

As promised, here's the schedule of set times for this weekend's Fun Fun Fun Fest, sponsored in part by Austinist.com. Fun Fun Fun Fest: [official] [myspace] [tickets] Update: Download this as a pdf Saturday, November 3rd Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 12:30 PM 12:45 PM The Lemurs(12:50-1:20) Down To Nothing(12:40-1:10) 1:00 PM Djs Manny and Bigface(1-2) 1:15 PM Iron Age(1:10-1:40) 1:30 PM Zykos(1:25-1:55) 1:45 PM Viva Hate(1:45-2:15) 2:00 PM Brothers and Sisters(2-2:30) 2:15 PM... more ›

What a difference a year makes—certainly in the case of this fledgling music festival. Last December's inaugural Fun Fun Fun Fest featured over two dozen bands and DJs, and showcased a good variety of indie rock, punk, and electronic music. This year, they've grown even bigger, better, and bolder: the second annual installment will span two days and has been pushed ahead by a month, to November 3rd and 4th. Staying true to their... more ›

MONDAY [6] karaoke » Karaoke at Beerland (link) music » The Lay-Moes and Loy Bones at The Parlor (Free, 9pm) (myspace) film/comedy » Soul Cinema Mondays screens "Richard Pryor Live in Concert," the comedian at his finest. At the Drafthouse Downtown ($1, 7pm) (link) music/film » One of the most exhaustive music documentaries ever, "New York Dolls," the story of Arthur "Killer" Kane" reuniting with the legendary band, features interviews with Morrissey, Iggy Pop, Mick... more ›